A CONGESTED AREA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2383, 12 February 1915, Page 7

A CONGESTED AREA

#QWN PLANNING PROJECT DISCUSSION iflfe'-scheme'jfiaOTig -for its -ultimaieobjoct the "improvement of the;.planning acongested area in the centre of the pity was discussed by. the City Council iastiiight. . Councillor Buddie moved:—' That, with » view of improving ■013'! Customhouse Street, Oornhill Street, Lombard Street, Farish Street, and St, Hill Street, a plan be. prepared and, submitted to the. council . making provision for straightening and widening these ' streets, and that until the council . can carry out the scheme as a whole all applications for permits to build in tho* vicinity of 'any of these < streets, as at present existing, be • referred to the Finance' Committee, ': -who shall upon' each application, tiako such steps as may be then ex- . ,-pedient to give effeot to the str6et" . -scheme shown on such plan. 1 . Ln' support of the motion, Councillor, i Buddie'said that'he recognised that the lest course to follow would be the purchase of the land by the council, but , jfinanrial considerations pu± that: out of the question. ;At present the streets Jin the. vicinity were among the harrow- ; . rest and crookedest in the city, and the (area would yet become one of the most (important business parts-of the city. Coanoillor M 'Kenzio said that he MvouH like to have the matter referred ' po lie' Finance Committee for . report , fees to what/the scheme might yet cost ihe city, before the council committed {the city to it. . , Councillor Luckie said that'the effect , jof the carrying of the motion would be Ho prevent people in that; locality from ; for an indefinite time, and jfthis would cause hardship and incon- i venience. He -would oppose the mo- | tion on this ground. '~ , : Councillor Hindmarsh' . said it would \bo much wiser to prevent the erection jaf a large building than to require it-to Ibe pulled down plater. The . time ;had Jarrived- when this particular locality (Should be cleared np, and Tie would sup- I mart the motion. • i I* I±. was pointed out that if application i |for permits were for buildings which i /Complied with the by-laws, the permits i must be granted as of right. The ob- ! Sect of the. motion was .to enable' the i tFipance Committeo to know whon permits were asked for, in'order that some jofier might be made to the applicant, i Councillor Thompson said that in his ■opinion the council would be ' doing imore for .town planning by embarking npon ,;a_-scheme, for the . widening ■ of 'Taranaki'Street to sixty-six . feet, and jamming an express car service to NewSown, down that street. ' Councillor Atkinson asked what power Sfche Finance Committee had t-o deaf with Sjnilding permits likely to be'received/ r ;TB». Mayor: They can open up negopiations with tho applicants/ 1 Atkinson: But-they have bo funds and no power to. purchase. I Tho Mayor said there were" lots of Ifstreetß and right-of-ways in the city favhich ought to,bo widened as soon as hthe city could afford to do so. Among ghe-areas, that needed improving l was Rthat referred to -in the motiop, and'he Estrongly ' supported it. : ' Councillor Buddie, said. - the council Would not, by passing the motion, land ' Jbhe city'in any great financial liability. Sf after negotiations were opened with it was found'that the teity -had no funds to purchase, land, |the 1 purchase would not be made,' : but (the* passing of the motion' would- give She committee power to negotiate with iowners as they applied for permits. If toothing.followed from the negotiations, Jt ho council _ was in exactly - the >saine ®osition a? it'was now.' In fthe motion could do no harm. t The motion was carried.